Signaling counter



July 1%), 1951 A. R. LITRELL 2,559,723

SIGNALING COUNTER Filed May 21, 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ANTHONY R. LITRELL [glam M 2% H l S ATTORNEYS.

3 1951 A. R LHTRELL SIGNALING COUNTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1947 NVENTOR, ANTHONY R. LITRELL BY a? I M H15 ATTORNEYS tionship to the several indicator wheels. indicator wheel has cam means thereon which is Patented July 10, 1951 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE SIGNALING COUNTER Anthony B. Litrell, Grant City, N. Y.

Application May 21, 1947, Serial No. 749,423

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to counters and more particularly to new and improved counting apparatus including electric signalling means for providing an indication when a predetermined count has been reached.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 702,395 filed October 10, 19%6, for Electric Counting Indicator (since abandoned).

In job printing, considerable time and labor are wasted in separating printed forms or the like into groups, each containing a given number of pieces. The usual procedure is to have the pressman watch the counter on the press only while the first group containing a given number of pieces is being printed. A pad back or marker is inserted after the last piece in the group and the printing of the forms is continued without keeping count of each group of pieces being printed. If the printed forms are subsequently to be bound into pads, each containing an equal number of sheets, for example, this is done by measuring the thickness of the sheets in the first pad, which is known to contain the correct number, and separating the remaining forms into groups of like thickness. The measuring operation is time-consuming and is obviously not accurate. Hence, it results in needless waste of time and manpower.

It is an object of the invention, accordingly, to provide new and improved counting apparatus which, during the course of printing, gives a adapted to close the switch corresponding thereto at a predetermined position of the indicator signal each time a predetermined number of operations indicated by the counting apparatus has been completed.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved signalling counting apparatus of the above character which can be utilized with counters of conventional type.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved signalling counting apparatus of the above character in which the count required to give a signal may be varied over a given range.

According to the invention, counting apparatus is provided which includes electric signalling apparatus in combination with counter mechanism of conventional type having a plurality of indicator wheels. The signalling apparatus may comprise, for example, a plurality of switches mounted on an insulating support adapted to be secured to the counter mechanism in such fashion that the switches are disposed in operative rela- Each wheel. The switches may be connected to a source of electrical energy and to signalling means for providing a signal when a predetermined count has been reached.

In accordance with the invention, the position of the cam means on the indicator wheels may be changed, and the number of switches in the signalling circuit may be varied by selective switching means, thereby permitting the count required to operate the signalling means to be varied over a given range.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of counting apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the counting apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the switch assembly showing how certain of the switch contacts are connected;

Figure 4 is a View in longitudinal section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1, illustrating means for adjusting the separation between contacts;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a circuit for use with the counting apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a front view, partially in section, of a modification for indicating units of twentyfive;

Figure 7 is an end view showing the star wheel and cooperating counter of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a circuit in which the apparatus of Figure 6 may be employed.

Referring now to Figure 1, counting apparatus constructed according to the invention is shown comprising a conventional type counter In having a plurality of counter wheels Ila, llb, He, H d and He, which are adapted to be actuated by a lever arm l2 in the conventional manner. The counter i0 per se forms no part of the present invention and it will not be described in detail herein. In front of the counter 18 is disposed a support member l5 made of insulating material. The support I 5 may be secured to the counter Iii in any suitable manner as by means of an L- shaped bracket 13 (Fig. 2) and the screws M, for example.

Mounted on the rear face of the support l5 are a plurality of moveable switch contacts I6, l! and it which lie directly in front of the indicator wheels I la, I lb and Ilc, respectively, and which are adapted to oo-operate with a plurality of fixed contacts l9, 20- and 2i, respectively, secured to the front face of the support it. Normally, there will be a fixed and a moveable contact for each indicator wheel. However, only three have been shown in Fig. 1 for simplicity. The contacts I6, H and iii may be secured. to the support l in any suitable manner as by the screws 22 (Fig. 3), for example. Similarly, the contacts it, and 2i may be secured to the support It by means of nuts and bolts 23 and 2%, respectively (Fig. l), for example.

Formed on the counter wheels l la, l lb, and l is are cam means 25a, 25b and 250, which are adapted to move the moveable contacts it, I? and I8, respectively, into engagement with the fixed contacts I9, 28 and H at predetermined positions of the counter wheels corresponding to a predetermined count. The contacts l5, ll and 58 are electrically connected together in any suitable man ner, as by means of a conducting strip 28, for example, secured to the contacts I7 and I8 in any convenient manner, as by the screws 2?. The contacts I9 and El may be connected by means of the conductors 28 and 2e, respectively, to the contacts 30 and SI on a selector switch 32 having a moveable switch contact 33.

The switch contact 20 is connected by a conductor 34 to one terminal of the secondary winding 35 of a transformer 36, the primary winding 37 of which is energized from an alternating current source 38. The other end of the transformer secondary winding 35 is connected to one terminal of a conventional signalling device 39 which may be a buzzer or bell, for example, the other terminal of which is connected to the moveable contact 33 on the selector switch 32.

Normally, the moveable switch contacts l6, ii and I8, respectively, are maintained out of engagement with the fixed contacts I9, 2%} and 2i. The spacing between the respective sets of contacts may be adjusted in any suitable manner as by providing a pad of resilient material lll between each of the fixed contacts l9, 2i! and 2l and the support l5, for example, as shown in greater detail in Fig. 4. The pads of resilient material 40 may be compressed or expand-ed by means of the bolts ll and nuts 42 which may be assembled to the support It, as shown in Fig. 4. By adjusting the nuts 32, it will be apparent that the spacing between each pair of contacts can be varied as desired.

In operation, for counts up to 99, the moveable switch contact 33 is moved into engagement with the contact 30. Also, the cam means 25a and 25b are secured to the corresponding counter wheels lid and Ilb in such positions that the switch contacts is andv M, respectively, will engage the contacts !0 and 20, respectively, each time the counter l0 reaches a predetermined count. When this occurs, the circuit to the buzzer 39 is completed so that it operates, giving a signal to the operator that the predetermined count has been reached.

For counts above 90, the moveable switch conthis occurs, the circuit including the buzzer 391-- is completed and the latter signals the press operator that the desired count has been reached. With the switch 32 in this position and by proper positioning of the cam means 251) and 250, it will be understood that the control signal can be caused to occur selectively at counts intervals of 10 apart between 10 and 990.

Since the conventional type counter I0 will record every printed impression, the invention will not in any way interfere with the consecutive counting of the printed sheets. Furthermore, for count intervals of 10, 20, and 100 with the switch contact 33 (Fig. 5) engaging the contact 39, and for count intervals of 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 with the switch contact 33 engaging the contact 3i, it is not necessary to reset the counter or stop the press each time the predetermined number has been reached and the alarm given; the only time the counter is reset to zero is at the beginning of each new form to be printed. For such counts, there is no need for the pressman to stand by an automatic press; the invention will give the signal each time the predetermined count has been reached during the course of printing.

For example, the buzzer 39 can be made to give a signal each time the count of 20 is achieved by placing the movable switch contact 33 in engagement with the contact Ell, positioning a signal cam means 25a at the zero position on the units counter wheel Ila, and positioning a plurality of cam means 25b at the zero, 20, 40, and positions on the 10s counter wheel I lb.

By proper adjustment of the selector switch 32 it will be apparent that either the group of switch contacts it, ls, ll and 20 or the group of switch contacts ll, 2%, ill and 2i may be included in the circuit of the buzzer 39. Furthermore, the cam means 25a, etc., may be located at any desired positions on the counter wheels I la, etc., to close the groups of switch contacts at any desired count. It will be understood, therefore, that the count required for operation of the buzzer may be varied over a given range, as desired.

Where it is desired to have the signal actuated at every count of twenty-five, for example, the modification shown in Figures 6; '7 and 8 may be employed. In this embodiment, a star wheel i l is rotatably mounted in bearings 55 on an insulated support 36. The support 45 is removably secured to the housing of the counter IQ in any suitable manner in such fashion that it liesdirectly above the units counter wheel I'Ia as shown in Fig. 7. The star wheel 4c is provided with twenty equally spaced apart teeth ll which are adapted to be engaged by two cam means 48 and as secured on the units counter wheel I la at the zero and five positions, as shown in Fig. 8. With this construction, it will be apparent that the star wheel 45 will be moved one-twentieth of a revolution for each half revolution of the units counter wheel Ila.

Mounted substantially apart on the star wheel are four electrical contact arms 59. The contact arms are adapted to be moved into engagement with a fixed contact 5i which is mounted on an insulating member 52 removably secured in any convenient manner to the. hous=- ing of the counter It as shown.

Considering now Fig. 8, the. counter apparatus is shown in a typical signalling circuit constructed according to the invention. This circuit is similar to the circuit shown inv Fig. 5. except that the fixed contact 5! is connected by a conductor 54& to a third contact 55. on the switch 32.. Themovable contacts so or the star wheel 44 are connected by a conductor 56 to the conductor 28.

Cam means 53 are secured on the tens counter wheel 1 lb at the 20, 50, 70 and zero positions, as shown in the figureQ With the moveable switch contact 33 in engagement with the contact 55, the contacts 58 and 5| will be engaged at successive counts or twenty-five, the contacts I6 and 19 will be engaged at successive counts of five and the contacts l1 and 25 will be closed for counts of zero, 20, 50 and 70. Hence, the buzzer 39 will be energized for successive counts of zero, 25, 50, 75 and 100, at which times all three sets of contacts will be engaged. In Figure 8, the three sets of contacts are shown closed for a count of '75, for example.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention provides new and improved counting apparatus which gives a signal when a predetermined count has been reached. Counting apparatus of this character is extremely useful in many industrial applications such as in job printing, for example. In the latter field, the pressman engaged in printing forms, for example, need not watch the counter on the printing press, since the novel counting apparatus described herein will furnish an audible signal when the desired number of sheets have been printed and are ready for pad-back or marker insertion.

While several representative embodiments have been described in detail above, the invention is not intended to be limited thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having a plurality of coaxial counter wheels, a support of insulating material secured to said counter, a plurality of normally open switches carried by said support and disposed in operative relationship with said respective counter wheels, cam means selectively mountable at difierent positions on said counter wheels corresponding to a predetermined total count for closing said respective switches, electrical signalling means, a source of electrical energy, an electric circuit connecting said switches to said signalling means and to said electrical energy source, and switching means for connecting at least two of said switches selectively in said circuit, whereby a signal will be produced at a predetermined count of the counter.

2. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having a plurality of coaxial counter wheels, a support of insulating material secured to said counter, a plurality of normally open switches each having a moveable and a fixed contact carried by said support and disposed in operative relationship with said respective counter wheels, switch actuators selectively mountable at different positions on said counter wheels corresponding to a predetermined total count for closing said respective switches, electrical signalling means, a source of electrical energy, means electrically connecting said moveable switch contacts together, a selector switch having a plurality of fixed contacts and a moveable contact adapted to engage said selector switch fixed contacts selectively, electrical connections between said respective selector switch fixed contacts and all but one of the fixed switch contacts carried by said support, and an electrical circuit connecting said signalling means, source of electrical energy, moveable contact on said selector switch and said one fixed switch contact carried by the support, in series.

3. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having coaxial units, tens and hundreds counter wheels, a support of insulating material secured to said counter, a plurality of normally open switches each having a moveable and a fixed contact carried by said support and disposed in operative relationship with said respective counter wheels, switch actuators selectively mountable at different positions on said counter wheels corresponding to a predetermined total count for closing said respective switches, electrical signalling means, a source of electrical energy, a selector switch having a plurality of fixed contacts and a moveable contact adapted to engage said selector switch fixed contacts selectively, electrical connections between all but one of the fixed switch contacts on said support and corresponding fixed contacts on said selector switch, said one contact corresponding to said tens counter wheel, means connecting the moveable switch contacts on said support together, and means connecting said selector switch moveable contact and said one fixed switch contact on the support in series with said signalling means and source of electrical energy.

i. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having at least one counter wheel, a toothed wheel mounted adjacent said counter wheel, at least one electrical contact carried by said toothed wheel, a fixed electrical contact adapted to be engaged by the electrical contact carried by said toothed wheel, switching means mounted in operative relation to said counter wheel, cam means on said counter wheel for moving said toothed wheel in predetermined relation to the movement of said counter wheel and for actuating said switching means, and an electrical circuit including said switching means and said electrical contacts.

5. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having at least one counter wheel, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted adjacent said counter wheel, a plurality of spaced apart contacts carried by said toothed wheel, a fixed electrical contact adapted to be engaged successively by the electrical contacts carried by said toothed wheel, switching means mounted in operative relation to said counter wheel, cam means on said counter wheel adapted to engage said tooth wheel to move it in predetermined relation to the movement of said counter wheel and also adapted to actuate said switching means, an electrical circuit including said fixed contact, said toothed. wheel contacts and said switching means, and electrical signalling means connected in said circuit.

6. In counting apparatus, the combination of a counter having a plurality of counter wheels, a support of insulating material secured to said counter, at least two moveable contacts carried by said support and disposed in operative relationship with two of said counter wheels, respectively, a pair of fixed contacts carried by said support adjacent said moveable contacts and adapted to be engaged thereby, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted adjacent one of said counter wheels, a plurality of spaced apart contact elements carried by said toothed wheel, a fixed electrical contact member adapted to be engaged successively by the electrical contact elements carried by said toothed wheel, cam means carried by both said counter wheels for moving said moveable contacts, respectively, into engagement with said fiked contacts, respectively, at predetexfmined REFERENCES CITED q the u t 1 w w jb Ihe following references are of record "m the send one counter Wheel for engaglng with sald m Of this patent:

tc'othed wheel to move it in predetermined relati'dn to the movement of said one counter Wheel, 5 UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS an electrical circuit including said fixed and Number Name Date m'ov'eable contacts and said mo-veable 'contact 780,753 Hold'well 4-, Jan. 24, 1905 elements and. fixed contact member ih series, and 919,590 Katzung Apr. 2'1, 1909 electrical signalling means connected in said 1,826,520 McGowan Oct. 6,1931 circuit. 10 2,081,860 Nichols July 20, 1-937 ANTHONY R. LITREIL. 2,295,968 Poole Sept. 15, 1942 

